The trail to Omaha
by Effexxor
Summary: Zechs is leading a cattle drive to Omaha, his first, with a stoic cattle man, a trickshooter, a trickrider, a Chinese cook and the oddest medicine man guide he's seen. He's going to learn life isn't all dust and cattle. 2x5, 6x1, 3x4
1. Chapter 1

He was a born and raised cattle rancher, created for bitter cold blizzards and dust storms from when the drought hit. When birthing season came he could no more stay home than host a dinner party, and even though calving was a messy, bloody business Heero had to be there 'just in case'.

The cows could care less that Heero was there to watch them. They just puffed and bellowed in pain and labored through their contractions. It didn't seem worth it, to go through all of that work and pain and end up with this little mewling creature writhing on the ground. But the mothers would clean their babies with the utmost of care and snuffle over them with all the thrill they could possess. And if something in the birth went wrong, Heero always knew how to fix it. He'd stick his hand up the cow (which was always when Zechs had to look away) and reposition the calf and sure enough out would come the baby, pissed that it was leaving the safety of it's momma, but wanting food immediately.

And though Zechs had been tempted to ask Heero about why he spent that much effort on what would end up as beef on someone's table, he never did ask and likely never would. It was answer enough to see the satisfaction on his face, even when he was up to his shoulder in blood from the placenta.

To make it short and to the point, Heero wasn't cut out for civilization. But at the moment, neither was Zechs so they could agree on that at least.

Now, Zechs wasn't cut out for birthing sheds and slaughterhouses. He wasn't at that level yet and would be the first to tell you that. What he could do was herd. His horses were the best trained in the area and he could know where a stray was going before the stray knew it. It wasn't that Zechs actually liked the cattle. (Beef yes, cattle no.) What he liked were his mounts.

Goose was his primary, a stocky gelding with a stubbourn streak akin to a mule but cow sense that made every battle worth it. Best was how steadfast he was though, you could light a stick of dynamite under him and Goose wouldn't flash an eye. Best damned cow pony in the area, hands down.

Ep was a little more controversial. He was a thoroughbred/mustang mutt from the old US cavalry lines and was stunning, with long limbs, a deep chest and an ego to match. What Ep lacked in cow sense, he made up for in sheer speed and meanness, and the cattle learned quick to not double guess him because Ep was liable to reach out and take a bite out of a cow moving too slow.

They were his mainstays and his income. Every ranch in the area worth their salt knew that if you wanted to move your cattle, Zechs was worth three men. And if you combined Zechs with the cattle raised Heero Yuy, 300 head of cattle could go anywhere.

Their current employer had agreed with that, but with one condition. Treize had added a cook to join them. On a normal trip that wasn't necessary, a pack horse could easily carry the extra supplies and it was easy enough to add water to beans and have those for dinner. But Treize needed to move 500 head of cattle to Omaha Nebraska from their winter fields in Colorado, and over that amount of space, a cook was necessary. And for all the bad cooks they could have, they managed to get Chang Wufei, a savvy planner, cook and had a great mule team for his chuck wagon.

200 head were waiting in Sterling, along with the other three hands for the drive. Zechs recognized two of the names, but didn't know the men personally. They were supposed to be decent riders and old hands at drives though, and the other was going to be both a hand and a guide through Indian country, so they seemed like they'd be workers, rather than dead weight.

Zechs still wished it was only Heero and him on the drive. Heero wasn't good company, he was as talkative as a tree, but he was good at driving and Zechs could understand him. If Heero said something it was because it was important and vital. He liked that. It made him feel worthy that he was the person Heero talked to.

And it had been a good drive from Fort Collins to Sterling. No losses and the lead steer led the cattle beautifully. Heero's horses, Win and Zilch held the back of the herd steady and kept them moving, while Zechs and Ep kept the strays in the herd. Wufei would cut ahead of them and had camp set up and dinner ready by the time they arrived, always right on time. It was as pleasant as a drive could be, and Zechs only hoped that was a good omen.

"Zechs, sorrel calf lookin' to head left near you."

He snapped back out of his reverie and let Ep after the calf, who quickly snapped the babe back into place. The calf bawled a little when the gelding's teeth scraped his hide but he was fine once he was back with the herd.

Ep threw his head in impatience when Zechs made him slow enough to slide up next to the chuck wagon. Wufei ran a tight ship, you couldn't deny it. The wagon was packed meticulously with everything in its place and a place for everything. His food wasn't the standard grub either, no matter the day where was something different and the food was balanced with vegetables they found on the trail or with dried fruit. Even his mules were well picked animals, with as good a confirmation as Zechs had seen in a pulling equine. And they were sure footed, to be sure. Even on when Zilch who was as agile as a goat was having trouble, the mules were plugging on like they were going along a paved street.

Wufei was good company too. He could remember directions like he had an internal compass and even better, he knew this route better than Zechs and Heero, who'd mostly driven locally. Even more impressive was the fact that Wufei owned his equipment. Even though he was a Chinese immigrant who started out in the country with no money, he'd apparently saved and scrimped to buy the wagon, and then his team. So Wufei chose for himself what jobs he accepted, a rare thing among cooks.

And Wufei had been working out of Sterling for two months, so he'd know best if they were getting close. So Zechs pulled the reluctant Ep to where Wufei was driving the wagon and asked loudly over the creaks of the cart, "How long till we reach Treize's summer pastures?"

"When we get over that bluff they should be in the valley. If we stay for two hours, we'll be right on schedule. Should give you enough time to organize the lead steers, correct?" Wufei asked, his half moon glasses dusty from the trail.

Zechs nodded and let Ep's reins relax. The gelding thankfully ducked his head down and broke into a canter, easily passing the herd and climbed the bluff. Zechs looked out at the herd spread out in the pasture and let it all sink in. His first cross country cattle drive had just come to the starting line.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Howdy y'all. I'm really enjoying writing this fic, so chapters'll probably come in pretty quick. See, I have a horse, an Arab, and whenever I get to write about horses, it's awesome. Combine that with being able to write about my G-boys, and I'm one happy little Effexxor. I've been trying to get in the most historical accuracy, and that means getting the language they used right. sigh It's been hard though. I had to use terms like 'spic' and 'chink', and that kinda stunk. I have mexican and chinese friends and those are mean. But... it's historical accuracy. I also had to use the term 'Indian' instead of Native American, and that's another accuracy. So... wince Sorry guys.

Also, I'd like to explain the names of the guys' horses, because I'm kinda proud of myself.

Zechs has Goose and Ep. Goose from TallGeese and Ep from Epyon.

Heero has Win and Zilch. Wing as in Wing and Zilch as in Zero.

Wufei's mules are Shenlong and Altron. Original, huh?

Duo has Diablo and Cynthia. Why Cynthia? Because it sounds like Scythe. :D

* * *

The cattle mingled together without a problem. They were all such herd animals that the pandemonium of seeing so many new faces was calming rather than scary. The males were all gelded so testosterone was keeping them from getting protective over the cows, and the cows got along with each other with practiced ease. 

They all looked good, Zechs noticed. Their coats were gleaming and they were fat and alert. Herefords had been introduced to the common cattle of the range and it had done nothing but good for the animals. Big size and a more placid nature came from the Herefords, but they still retained the good sense and the toughness from the original bovines. Made driving easier, that was for sure. But it would be even easier and get them more pay if they made sure only the healthy ones left on the drive. He'd have Heero check them, he knew more about cattle than Zechs ever would.

Two of the new hands had their gear for the chuck wagon piled neatly towards the edge of the valley. Only one of the hands was standing by the luggage, a lean kid with a long braid that had to be a hassle on the trip. A black and white paint was tied to a tree next to a saddle mule, both built for sprinting, but they'd have enough endurance to last the trip. Zechs trotted over flanked by Heero and followed by the wagon. When he reached the hand he slid off of Ep and tipped his hat before holding out a hand, "Zechs Marquise. I'm the cowboss for the drive. The fellow behind me is Heero. He won't talk much, but if something should happen to the cattle he's the man to go to, he understands them. And the cook's name is Wufei Chang, he'll show you where to put your luggage."

The brunette shook his hand and gave him an impish grin which would make any mother protective of her daughter wince. The kid looked like the type to talk fish right into the frying pan. "Howdy. Name's Duo Maxwell. I've only been on two drives, but I've been a trickrider since I was eight, so I should be at least competent. My buddy's Trowa's bringing the guide."

Zechs took off Ep's bridle and hobbled him to let him get some grazing in and motioned Duo over to help him and Wufei with taking the mules out of the wagon shafts. "How are they going to do on this cattle drive?"

Duo's hands flew over the buckles of the harness with practiced eased, and he spoke casually, "They're the best you could wish for. Trowa was in the same wild west show that I trick rode in, and he's about as steady and smart as you can get. Can shoot the cigarette right outta your mouth too." Duo grinned toothily at Zechs, "I'm serious. He hates smokin', so if you do it around you it won't stay in your mouth for long."

Wufei snorted at that, but Zechs ignored him. "How're his mounts? Am I going to need to find him new ones?"

"He's got good 'uns, don't worry. Got a trick pony in the show just like I did 'cept his is for shooting off of, and he bought the draft cross he used for vaulting. That's some fancy thing he did for the show and the horse has to have endurance. They're strong," Duo turned to Wufei, "And Heavy's trained to harness, so if one of your mules turns lame you got a back up."

Zechs butted in, like a dog on a bone and determined to get the information he wanted. "What about the other one?"

Duo led Shenlong out of the wagon shaft and hobbled him. He ran a hand appreciatively over the dark chestnut and slipped a sugar cube out of his pocket. His reward was an excited snuffle, and the mule quickly snapped it up. "Quatre has a heart of gold and rides like he was born there."

He was too hesitant. Zechs' guard was heightened. "Why haven't you three been hired yet? It's so late in the season that you should be on a drive already."

"Trowa's mestizo. Even though he can ride and shoot like nobody's business nobody wants to hire him because he's part Mexican. He ain't even all that dark, but it's enough that folks can tell. And he's all I got since the show disbanded, so I'm sticking with him. And Quatre… he kinda has a past." None of the other hands said anything, so Duo continued.

"The Lakota people found a burnt shanty. There was a French trapper turned farmer who lived there with his family and four children. They found all of the family, but the fourth child, a four year old, was the only survivor. He was taken in by them and raised as their own. They decided that he should see the world his parents came from when he came of age. But there's more. Any of you know what berdache is?"

Zechs and Heero shook their heads. Wufei seemed to have some idea, but he kept quiet. So Duo continued. "Berdache is the term the French have given to someone who is what the Indians call a 'Two Spirit' person. Normally people are born with one soul. Either a man's, or a woman's. A berdache has both. They're typically a man with a woman's taste in… partners. They wear woman's clothing, marry a man and do a woman's work. They also have a lot of magic because of who they are, and Quatre happens to have very strong medicine. He's a nice guy, and he really isn't all that keen on the whole 'dress as a woman' thing, but he does like men. It's not like he's gonna jump anybody though, and he can ride like he was born there."

Heero summed it up for Zechs and Wufei, "He's gay."

Duo blinked. It had taken Zechs two years to get used to Heero's blunt way of speaking, and even now it threw him off. He pitied the extroverted trick rider; for someone who found talking so easily, Heero was almost certainly going to be an enigma to him for a while. "Yeah. That's it."

Wufei shrugged ambivalently, and after Heero saw that he grabbed a lock of Zechs' hair and gave it a little jerk. "That makes it easier for us, don't it?"

Zechs scowled at him, but quickly turned to Duo and reassured him, "I don't care, just as long as they do their part. Ideally we'd have three more people but this was all Treize could get, so we're going to have to just do this."

Everyone relaxed and Zechs was left feeling proud as a peacock. He shot a look over to Heero who nodded his head and the tension sitting in his gut abated. The rancher was picky with people, and if he thought Zechs spoke well, than he must have spoke well. That wasn't to say that he was going to forgive Heero letting loose with his earlier comment, but he might be able to win back the brownie points he'd lost a little quicker than usual.

Work still needed to get done and Wufei had mentioned earlier that he wanted to stop into Sterling and buy perishables. The new hands hadn't yet arrived, but if they were going to avoid nightfall, they needed to go soon.

He wasn't the best rider Zechs had seen. He sat too stiffly to be excellent. A good rider moved with their horse like they were glued there, but they also had to have some give to their back and hands. But even more important you had to be able to deal with the imperfections of your horse.

Horses weren't machines. They had their good days and their bad days, and anyone who tried to expect perfection from a horse failed. Frankly, it was a part of their charm to Zechs and made them seem more real and impressive. But Wufei wasn't the type who 'lost' easily. It had been his drive to except nothing less than perfect which had gotten him where he was, but it was also that drive that made him a better cook than a hand.

For the trip to Sterling Zechs put Wufei on Goose, the closest thing he had to perfection. Zechs roped off Goose, shot off of him, he'd ridden bareback, ridden double on him and ridden in blizzard and painful drought. He wouldn't trust Ep as far he could throw him, but he had trusted Goose with his life several times and still lived to tell about it. Zechs had told Wufei about how good Goose was, but he stayed wary and didn't let his guard down for a moment.

But Wufei's specialty wasn't riding and it was unfair to criticize him, particularily when Wufei was so good at driving. Driving a team of horses were hard enough, but mules were worse, and Wufei's had utter trust in him. They would go through and over anything for him at the touch of the rein.

Zechs liked him. He was smart and had a dry sense of humor. So the trip wasn't a bad one. Zechs was able to ride Win, Heero's mare, and she had a marvelously smooth trot. The pack horse they were using, Duo's mule Cynthia, was no trouble either so they were free to relax.

At least Zechs had been relaxing till Wufei decided to strike up a conversation. He eased Goose's reins to let it lay slack and asked casually, "How'd you meet Heero?"

"In the winter season I'll buy some unrideable horses for cheap at auction then resell them in spring trained to saddle. I needed pastureland and a place to stay, and Heero needed extra income. I've been keeping my horses in pasture there for two winters now."

He sure didn't stay because of how nice Heero's shanty was either. Like most the settlers in the area Heero lined his walls with tar paper to try to keep out the wind. The paper kept the little cracks in the wood from leaking the cold in, but it did nothing against the larger ones. It was a one room house, a bed in one corner and a stove kitty corner from that. Heat just didn't stay in the house.

The barn was better in regards to heat, so going in there to check on the animals was always a treat. The only problem was leaving the barn. The distance between the barn and the shack was easily 25 feet, and in the middle of a Colorado snow storm that was a hundred miles. Heero had collapsed in the snow on his way home one day, and Zechs' memories were still vividly clear of how terrified he was as they lay in the bed, bare skin to bare skin. He was sure that Heero would be dead the next morning but he still held him desperately close underneath all the blankets they had.

The next morning when he'd woken up, the pink in Heero's cheeks had been the sweetest moment he could remember.

Wufei didn't talk again and neither did Zechs. They found Sterling in good time. The town was growing slowly but surely as more and more people began to settle the West. There was one road that ran thorugh the town and that was a small dusty one. The houses and shops were slatboard residences, out of their element in the rugged forest.

They hitched their horses up to the post and entered the general store. Wufei went straight to the supplies, while Zechs walked over to the owner behind the counter. He removed his hat and said pleasantly, "Howdy. I'm taking 500 head to Omaha, and I was wondering if you'd gotten any news on the trail."

The man beamed at him, "Can't say I've heard anything bad. It's been a good year for pastureland and the reds ain't been acting up any, so yer gonna have any easy time about it." The store owner looked over at Wufei and motioned to him, dropping his voice, "You know, I could find you another cook."

"And I would I want to do that?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Well, he's a chink. Can't trust them, you know. They're like the spicks, comin' up here were they aren't wanted."

Zechs glared at him and his voice was cold, "Wufei works hard. He owns his own wagon and owns his own team. He drives better than anyone I've met. He isn't lazy, and he isn't a thief. I thank you for the offer, but I don't need it."

Wufei chose that moment to bring up the goods, setting them down onto the counter. "Heero'd asked for me to some liminent, and there's a good brand here. Also got some cheap cotton in case somebody needs bandages or a new neckerchief. I figured that since you and Duo have such long hair that I'd get shampoo for you two." He looked up at Zechs, "That okay?"

He nodded and said gruffly, "Buy them. It's your call."

Wufei packed up Cynthia and they headed back to camp, making it back just as twilight descended. Zechs had barely dismounted when a slander blonde man came up to him and confidently held his hand out, "I'm Quatre, your guide for this trip. It's a pleasure to meet you."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: God, I've loved the reviews. 'Israel' is a little bit of a block for me right now, and I think this is helping to remedy that, so...

Karina: Wow. You reviewed twice. I'm seriously loving you. You write good reviews too, they're a good inspiration.

Enna Namo: Heh. You'll just have to wait and see about that 2x5. I promise though, no 1x2. I hate 1x2.

* * *

He was erethral. The dying sun hit his pale blonde hair and his eyes were light blue and Zechs kept thinking that if Quatre wanted to pass as a woman it wouldn't be hard. He was masculine, he was too lean and too well muscled to not be. But his face was extraordinarily sweet and his voice was so empathic and earnest that he just seemed so perfect. Zechs would be jealous but he couldn't be of someone so kind. 

Granted, Quatre was not entirely what he looked like. His eyes were too intelligent for someone who acted like they did for no reason. He had no doubt that Quatre knew what he was doing and the thoughts he was invoking, his words were too carefully chosen for anything else. But his eyes had an honesty to them that couldn't be faked. (And the calculating way he spoke made impressed Zechs. It was relief to know he wasn't just a pretty face.)

His clothes were strange. His shirt was thin cotton and not at all what you could call the latest fashion. It was too roughly sewn to be made in a factory or tailored. His pants, they were a whole other story. They were buckskin and a soft butter color. They moved perfectly with him and Zechs understood then why the Reds wore their leggings. With jeans it took him a month to break them in comfortably and they frayed all too soon, but those looked like they could go through anything and still be workable.

Heero was uncomfortable around him. But Heero was uncomfortable around anyone who talked excessively, so Zechs understood and sat close to him at dinner. They sat around the fire, all six of them held within a strange peace. They were flanked by tall trees and each of them had their own weapons so they seemed to deem their lives safe for the moment.

Zechs probably shouldn't have let his guard down around Trowa so easily, but the man resembled Heero. They were both oddities, both ever wary and intense, and if Zechs had met Trowa before he'd met Heero, he didn't doubt that he'd be a lot more uneasy around him. Especially when one looked at Trowa's arsenal.

Two silver Peacemakers hung from his belt. A Colt was in a holster across his chest with an impressive amount of ammo. Judging by the bulge near his ankle he probably had a derringer, and a Calvary grade army knife was slung in the shoulder holster. And to finish those off he had a beauty of a 12 plait cowhide whip at his side. All of those were over a thick woolen poncho which could probably save a man from death's door.

But Trowa was a trick shooter, and he'd far rather be around a man who knew how to use his weapons than someone who didn't. A professional knew his gun and knew his ability; an amateur did not. He was still intimidating though.

Heero wasn't sure what to do with this man. Zechs wryly noticed that when Heero struck up a small conversation with him that they seemed to get along well, but then the next moment he avoided the mestizo like the plague. People always said that one never liked to see themselves, and it seemed that Heero was the same.

The pout he wore (which one could only pick out from his normal stare if they knew him well) proved to be immensely funny to Zechs. Suddenly the rancher had been forced in with two extroverts and one very similar and he just didn't seem to know what to do. So Zechs decided to help.

"Heero," Zechs took a sip of his water, "how's the herd looking for the drive?" He figured that cattle, if anything would be the ticket to putting Heero at ease. It was the only topic that he ever came close to babbling about.

Sure enough his eyes glossed over and began to talk. "They're all in great shape. A few have some skin conditions, but that's to be predicted after a long wet winter like this year's. All they need is an iodine treatment for a couple of weeks and they'll be good as gold."

Quatre nodded thoughtfully, feigning interest, but even Trowa seemed a little skeptical at Heero's tone. He sounded like a lovesick girl, but Trowa would probably be the same if they got him started talking about guns, so Zechs paid him no mind.

"Well." Duo took a bite of his biscuit before talking, rather uncouth but typical of a hand. "What're y'all gonna do with your pay after we get to Omaha? I'm saving mine. I want to make a wild west show of my own, but that takes some money, so I'm going ta have to wait a while."

Quatre grinned good naturedly, "I know a lot of anxious kids who'd love to get out and see the world. When you get that all together let me know. Just try and keep it respectful." He winced, "I saw one of those shows two months ago and they had my people whooping and wearing these horrible clothes that no one would be stupid enough to wear and it was… bad."

The trickrider saluted smartly, clicking his heels together. They all snickered when Duo realized he'd hooked his spurs together in the process and he thankfully patted Trowa on the back when the mestizo leaned over and started to unhook them and he said affectionately, "Tro already agreed to run it with me. He's gonna be the Spaniard Pompadour, the suave gun totin' man of Latin passion and soul. " Trowa grunted indignantly as Duo caught him in a noogie. He slipped out of the brunette's hold easily but did it a lot more slowly than he could have. Duo grinned at him good naturedly and Trowa gave him a small smile back.

Zechs noticed how Quatre seemed uncomfortable with that. Almost jealous. Question was what he was jealous of. But that wasn't his problem so he just sipped at his coffee and slid his leg closer to Heero's.

The fire died down easy and they were all quick to lay out their sleeping rolls. Wufei set his near the wagon while Quatre chose to lay near the still smoldering embers. Duo and Trowa set theirs underneath a copse of cedar trees, murmuring to each other all the while. Zechs and Heero laid down next to the saddles under the clearest part of the sky. Heero's cattle dogs flocked around them, eager for the heat and comfort of bed.

Their names were Black Eyed Susan and Chicory, and Zechs still found it funny that stoic, hardass Heero would name his tough as nails cattle dogs after wildflowers. Even better, he not only had dogs with those names, but he'd named them that himself. They were good dogs though, smart enough to dodge a cattle's hoof and fast enough to nip the cow for her trouble.

Heero laid the tarp down while Zechs began to untie their bedrolls, easily slipping into the routine of the drive. They didn't even have to speak, each handing the other what they needed when they needed it and their things were laid out with practiced ease.

This was the time that he'd had been dreading. He averted his eyes from Heero when the man'd begun to take off his shirt. Zechs turned around while he slipped off his well worn Levis. He'd even undressed himself quickly and chastely, sliding underneath the covers of his bedroll before even a hint of skin could show.

Zechs had made sure that there was space between their rolls and he was sure Heero knew why. But the brunette still propped himself up onto his elbow and slid his free hand beneath Zechs' covers and drew a calloused palm over his hip. He locked eyes with the cattle boss, wanted to know if despite all they knew about their crew, if they still wanted to follow the rules Zechs'd set.

It hurt to shake his head. It did so badly. Heero's hand was dragging across his hip so beautifully and he wanted to give in. But instead he shook his head, avoided his eyes and said softly, "Not yet. Not till they get used to the idea."

The hand went away. Zechs felt colder, but Heero listened to him. The dogs curled up between the two and made the distance between them seem a mile away.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: So my GW DVDs 1-49 finally just came in. and wow, the homoeroticism. Treize tells Zechs oh so sweetly, 'Shoot them down for me, Zechs.' I was giggling. Badly.

God I love your reviews. There aren't many, but they're quality.

* * *

God damn but Heero's hands felt good. They were calloused and rough and so damned strong that Zechs wanted to throw himself at the cattle rancher and make him go so crazy he'd scream. But as he had last night and the night before that he shrugged off Heero's hands and shook his head.

The night was too cold.

* * *

They'd just passed the Nebraska state line when Duo's gelding Diablo began to act up. The trick pony'd been well behaved before (bratty and stubbourn, but generally good) but once he stepped onto Nebraska soil it all changed. The paint started to throw his head excessively, ripping the reins right out of Duo's hands most times. Then he began to prance, feet moving about a mile a minute even though he was at a walk. Those were things that Duo could handle and Zechs didn't worry till Diablo decided to be riderless that day.

The first thing that came to Zechs' mind was that if Diablo was trained right, he'd make one hell of a saddle bronc. His bucks were perfectly natural and they flowed like rapids through a river. The pony had even tensed his neck so that Duo couldn't pull the reins up and pull him out of the bucks. And even worse when Duo landed, he landed hard and on his face none the less.

Duo stood shakily with blood pouring out his nose. Thankfully his nose didn't seem broken, only badly bruised. But he was going to be sore the next day no doubt about it and he was in no shape to get back onto the hellion on four hooves.

Zechs trotted Goose over to his hands, dismounting easily. "Here, take 'im and go find Wufei up ahead. He's got a painkiller draught in his wagon. Just tie Goose up behind the wagon, I'll take care of your paint."

Duo nodded slowly, his eyes still not quite there. "Mmkay. Wanna switch saddles first? You're gonna wan' yer own when he starts buckin'."

Zechs nodded, "Let me do that, just sit down for a little. The other hands can handle the herd for a while." Heero could do it on his own, that wasn't what he was worried about. What he was worried about was Duo. He was slurring his words pretty badly and his country accent was coming through stronger. While he was cinching his saddle up on Diablo (who thankfully hadn't run off but had opted to graze instead), he told Duo firmly, "Tell Wufei that you aren't allowed to go to sleep. Can you remember that?"

The brunette nodded slowly, staunching the blood flow from his nose with his bandanna. "Zechs?" His voice was quiet, tentative. Not typical Duo at all. "Didn't Trowa stop?"

"No, he probably knew you could take care of yourself." Zechs may have been busy changing saddlebags, but he still noticed the flicker of disappointment that flashed across his face.

* * *

Goose was a nice horse. Duo liked Goose. Goose didn't buck, he just trotted along really smoothly. That was appreciated.

He liked how Wufei wasn't too far away too. That meant that Duo had less time he had to ride. Even though Goose was such a good horse, the gelding's trot made his head throb like a bunch of chickens were scratching for bugs in his brain. Fei stopped the wagon quick too. His voice was gruff but kinda sweet, and Duo came to the conclusion that it was cute.

He even gave Duo some liquid that made his mind go even fuzzier. It made the pain in his nose go, so it was worth it. Problem was when he took it, all he wanted to do was sleep. So Wufei grabbed a tin from the wagon.

"Like your coffee black? I always keep some brewed, but this is pretty strong stuff. It should keep you awake."

Duo grinned in a winning way at him, idly noticing that he couldn't really focus his eyes, "That's fine, Ah'm from Texas so anything else is a waste of water."

And the coffee was properly made too. It was lukewarm, but it had enough bitterness to it that he'd winced when he took the first sip. In other words, it was the stuff he'd been raised on. He sat on the tongue of the wagon drinking the coffee as Wufei untacked Goose and tied him to the backboard. The cook then came up and sat with him, urging the mules forward with a gentle flip of the reins. The wagon was bumpy but the combination of the coffee and 'Dr. Xian's Miracle Painkiller for Man and Beaste' made the ride liveable.

"So." There was Wufei's voice again. It was pretty, If Fei was smart he'd go into singing. "Diablo started bucking?"

Duo nodded. "Yep. And he's got one hell of a nasty buck. His dam and his sire were both bronc stock so it's in his blood. Normally he's pretty good, but I dunno." He shrugged, "Today he just decided to live up to his name."

Wufei laughed and Duo gave him a grin through the bandanna still stuck up his nose.

* * *

Zechs was impressed. He'd pulled god only knows how many muscles in his shoulders, his inner thigh felt like it was on fire and his knee still throbbed after Diablo slammed the innocent joint into a sapling, but he was still impressed. The pony was the smartest god forsaken creature he'd ever ridden and he'd ridden some wily nags. But all of those seemed slow compared to this one.

Zechs first tried just running Diablo down till he was too tired to buck, but one sure didn't work because the demonbeast apparently didn't get tired. So then he tried to just turn him in a circle when he did something bad. Well when he did that, hellspawn took that as his que to buck. Every damn thing Zechs did, Diablo found a way to make it useless.

But Zechs wasn't such a good rider for nothing. He stayed on the pony like glue and never left the saddle. He also had the strength to wrench the reins and get control of the bit and Diablo was getting frusterated. His tricks got everyone else off, after all.

By the end of the day, Diablo was still being a pill but he was at least working enough so that Zechs could actually do work with the herd on him. That control came at a big expense to both of them, however. Diablo's flanks were covered in sweat and his ears flopped to side as though it was too much work to keep them upright. Zechs wasn't much better, drenched in sweat and slumping wearily in his saddle. He didn't even have his hat on, deeming his ride too much danger for his sacred Stetson and gave it to Heero to watch over.

Thus, seeing camp ahead was sweet. Even better was the small stream that trickled past, too small too bathe in but big enough to fill a bucket and dump it over one's self. Zechs slumped off of Diablo without any of his usual grace and could have kissed Heero when he said that he'd untack botch Win and Diablo. He made a run for it to the stream, snagging a bucket and jamming it in the brook. He then nearly ripped his shirt off, grabbing the bucket and taking a long draught of water before dumping it over his head.

He hadn't known his appreciative moan was so loud till he turned around awkwardly and saw the whole camp staring wide eyed at him. Even the cows were looking at him, the wenches. Heero snorted and went right back to unsaddling Diablo, while everyone else had to take a moment.

Zechs shrugged. He hated being sweaty and if they didn't like his obsession with cleanliness than he didn't care. He turned around and continued to dump water over himself, sounding as happy as he wanted. It was probably a good thin that he didn't see the appreciative look on Trowa's face and the lecherous grin on Quatre's.

* * *

His muscles screaming bloody murder at him by that night. He'd gotten through dinner but only in a permanent slouch and when he walked back to his sleeping pad he was definitely bowlegged. Thus when he had gotten underneath his covers he fully intended to go to sleep and stay that way for a few days.

Heero had the one thing that could pull him back out; a bottle of liniment and hands that knew just where to rub to make everything feel better. The bedroll was warm and he was awfully close to sleep though. He glared up at Heero from his jacket/makeshift pillow and asked gruffly, "Whaddya want."

Heero proceeded to throw the blanket off of Zechs and ignored his whining. "Get onto your stomach. Sooner the massage is done, the sooner you can get back to sleep."

After weighing his options he came to the conclusion that this may be a win win situation. He flipped onto his stomach and moaned gratefully when Heero poured the liniment onto his back and began rubbing. The liniment heated up when it touched skin and when anyone rubbed it in it'd get even warmer. With a normal person the liniment would have felt good. With Heero rubbing it in, it was nothing short of heaven.

His hands worked out every kink and knot and his back and he was feeling like goo so when Heero started working on his legs, he didn't object. He didn't even say anything when Heero slipped his hands up to massage his inner thigh. His hands were so close and the friction was so damned delicious…

Heero withdrew his hands and smirked when Zechs whimpered. "I'm going to let you sleep. That is what you want, right?"

Zechs growled and flipped both of them, slamming Heero back onto the bedroll. "You little asswipe!"

He kissed him hard, hard enough enough that they'd both be bruised the next day but the rush of heat when Heero arched up was so worth it.

* * *

The dredges of the caffeine and that damned potion here finally starting to leave Duo and he really didn't take it well when Trowa, his best friend, decided to sneak into a quiet grove with Quatre. Again. For the fourth night in a row.

"Come on man, I got hurt. Me. You know, your best friend? Since we were like, eleven? Stay with me, we can talk and stuff. Like when the show was still running." He sounded like a little kid but he couldn't help it. He hadn't been able to talk to his best friend, really talk to him, since that damned blonde sashayed into the picture.

"Duo. You're overreacting." Owch. Duo got the 'pissyTrowa' glare. "I like Quatre, and he likes me. We fool around. I am allowed to have friends, right?"

"Of course, but you're forgetting about me. Last I checked I thought we were, ya know, friends? You didn't even check up on me when Diablo decided I oughtta learn how to fly!"

Trowa rolled his eyes, something that made Duo's blood boil. It got worse when Trowa opened his mouth though. "You're a big boy Duo. You can take care of yourself and I know that so I didn't need to make sure you were okay because I knew you would be."

"That isn't the point!" Duo stood and grabbed his bedroll and his things, "You didn't care about me. Do you know how shitty that felt? Hell, even if you'd just ridden over and said anything I would've felt okay but you didn't even do that much. Go and fuck Quatre but I ain't gonna be here when you get back."

Trowa laughed, a soft chuckle that grated, "And where are you going to go? It's not like you're the loner type."

"I got to know Wufei a little better today, I'm sure he won't mind company. At least he took care of me after my fall." With one last glare at Trowa he stalked over to the chuckwagon and plopped his things down. Wufei looked up from where he'd been sewing a hole in his blanket. Duo only shook his head and crawled under his blankets.

He tried not scream when Trowa and Quatre walked off into a grove of trees.

"So why did you get Cynthia? Mules are tricky bastards, most people won't put up with them."

Duo snapped his head up and stared at Wufei for a minute while what he said registered. A smile broke over his face and they launched into a conversation about the good qualities of long ears. And it was exactly what he needed.

* * *

A/N: 

I just recently had a huge fight with my best friend that happened a lot like Duo and Trowa's. It felt really, really good to write that down. Thus... this chapter is dedicated to Sally.


	5. Chapter 5

The world of the white man may have been his by birthright but he'd concluded that it was in no way his own. The food was strange and too complicated and spiced and nobody understood honor properly. They had these strange ideas of ownership, as though you could possibly own a piece of land. They slaughtered the animals for fun, without necessity or even proper recognition of the animal's sacrifice. Their world just made no sense.

Granted, he'd made friends in this new society. He made friends where ever he went, truly. Heero understood the worth of his cattle and reminded Quatre of the warriors at home. A calf had been brought down by a coyote and Heero had sat by the carcass for a while, doing what Quatre felt to be the equivalent of thanking the calf's spirit. He didn't even demand that they go find the coyote and kill it, which was again and admirable thing.

Wufei still looked odd to him. He looked similar to the Lakota and yet so different that he was a curiousity. The Chinese man spoke English quite well and knew a lot about healing plants and medicine from his homeland so they traded bits of information,. Wufei'd been thrilled to taste nettle tea, which was far more cheap and more fresh than what they sold in stores.

The person who made him feel the most confused was Zechs. He was so much of a warrior that a peace loving man like Quatre was just put off. It wasn't as though the cowboss had done anything innately aggressive or violent. He moved with the grace of a hawk all of the time and that was a bit intimidating. But he was incredibly gorgeous doing so, so Quatre chalked his paranoia off to being intimidated. Though he rode like not a man but as the horse itself, and that was very impressive, like a Lakota warrior himself.

However, Zechs couldn't hold a candle to Trowa in terms of handsomeness. He was just… stunning. His face seemed familiar, with the high cheekbones and strong nose of the Native people of the Americas. His eyes, green as a glossy leaf, were just so stunningly exotic and his hair was the loveliest color dark blonde. Frankly, he was the reason that Quatre was two spirit.

And if Zechs was a hawk, Trowa was a cougar stalking its prey. And Quatre would know. In the dark isolated space they found each night, the mestizo would pounce. His arms were all whipcord muscle and his body was all strength. His hands were gentle but so firm and with what Trowa illicted out of him it was a wonder no one had heard them yet and… Quatre worried that he might love him. And that was scary because Trowa certainly wasn't Lakota and he certainly wasn't the proper mate for a medicine man. But he'd take care of that when it came along.

Duo was strange. He was the only other extrovert in their group so by all means, they should have been friends, all but for Trowa. He'd been Duo's sole friend for five years during the show and having someone come in between that? Of course it would seem intimidating. What bewildered Quatre was his behavior around his oldest friend. Instead of talking it out with his oldest friend he'd just argued with him. It didn't make sense, at home if two men had a fight they had to speak their differences with the medicine man or two spirit, and the three would work things out until they were at least civil. That wasn't how things worked here though, so Quatre would avoid taking sides. That didn't mean that he would just ignore the hot tempered hand. After all, Duo'd had a nasty fall the other day and a medicine man knew what plants would make the pain lessen.

Trowa's heat almost made him forget his mission and go back to sleep. But he was nothing if not stubborn so he untangled himself from his lover's long limbs, muttering a soft curse at the morning cold against his skin. There was a stir and Trowa looked up at him with eyes still clouded with sleep. He arched an eyebrow.

"I need to get some bark that grows down near the river for Duo's pain." Salt lingered on his lips when he kissed Trowa's tanned forehead, "If I'm going to get it and be back in time, I need to leave now."

The mestizo nodded in response and cupped his cheek gently before curling back into their blankets. Quatre grinned fondly at him before slipping his leggings back onto his body and moccasins. He walked back to camp and slipped into the herd, giving a respectful nod to Heero, the morning watch. Sand, his grullo mare, was easy as ever to approach and complacently let him slip his leather lariat over her tongue and under her lip, making the only bridle either of them had ever known. Thanks to her small height he mounted her easily and set off towards the river at a steady trot.

Being this close to the Platte, dew hung onto everything. The tall grasses soon made Sand's legs dark and wet and Quatre's own shoes were soaked but both were enjoying the solitude of the morning, moisture or not. Sand even seemed to appreciate the grass all the more for the water when he left her to graze. It helped Quatre none when he was harvesting bark, making the trees slippery as a fish, but he'd had experience and accomplished his task easily, slipping his goods into the same packet where he kept his pemmican.

Trowa'd spoke fondly of the desert he was from, but Quatre honestly didn't think anything could be more lovely than his plains. There was something beautiful about the dark fertile earth that fostered and raised everything it touched. Granted it had it's crueler points, tornados that destroyed whatever they touched and snow storms that were just as bad, but those made the good points sweeter. On the ride back to camp he let Sand have her head and take herself back home and appreciated.

Riding was something that his tribe valued highly. After all, horses were the reason that they'd succeeded so well with the buffalo. But there was more to it really. There was just something spiritual and sweet at the movement of a horse underneath you. It simply felt right, and even more incredible was the fact that such large animals would ever trust people enough to let them ride them. Sand was an especially good mare, just as fond of him as he was of her and they loved each other fiercely.

He was almost disappointed when the sounds of camp grew louder but there was no other way around it so he slipped the rope out of Sand's mouth and joined Wufei and Duo where they were packing up the wagon. Wufei was the first to see him and he gave him a quick smile, "Good morning Quatre."

"Good morning!" He opened the pouch at his belt and pulled out a few pieces of bark. "I actually have something you might like, Duo."

The air was tense when Duo turned around so damned slowly. His voice was low and it was like a stray dog was growling when he finally responded, "What is it."

"This is willowbark. If Wufei will put some water over the fire, you can add a piece of this to the pot and it'll make willowbark tea. If you drink it, the pain'll lessen and even better, it won't make your mind fuzzy. Granted it may upset your stomach a little, but personally I think it's worth it."

Wufei had certainly brightened up about the offering but he was the only one. Duo simply shrugged, "As you wish."

Well. That wasn't supposed to happen. Duo was supposed to accept the peace offering joyously and they were supposed to forget their differences and be the buddy extroverts. Utterly bewildered, Quatre turned and jogged over to where Trowa was filling in their latrine. He hugged the tall man fiercely.

"Duo didn't accept it?" Trowa asked quietly, dropping his shovel to wrap his arms around Quatre.

"No. I don't understand."

Trowa's chest rose when he gave a deep sigh. "He's fickle and hurt. He'll come around."

"I hope so." He muttered into Trowa's neck.

* * *

The tea tasted bad, even with the honey Fei'd put in. But by the time breakfast was over and they were getting ready to leave, his nose and his head were only a very dull ache and the only side effect was a small stomach ache that was far better than the loopyness of Wufei's medicine. 

He mounted Cynthia, wonderful sweet good natured Cynthia, and when he rode past Quatre he made a point to mutter out a thanks. It was a quick thanks though and he quickly trotted over to where Zechs was saddling not Goose or Ep, but Diablo again. "Hasn't that little prick scared you off yet?" he asked impertinently.

Zechs snorted in response and pulled the reins up over the gelding's head, "I stayed alive while I was training Ep and if I did that, any other horse seems like a walk in the park. Besides, it'll be good for him if I continue the training for at least today."

"Trust me, that's fine. Besides, maybe tonight you can convince Heero to rub liniment on you again!" He winked garishly and chuckled to himself as he walked off. He never knew anyone's face could turn that shade of red.


	6. Chapter 6

AN: So I was reading through my fics and I realized something. I have really tiny chapters. And I just cringed when I realized that, so I decided to kinda stretch things out a little more from now on. Hence, it'll take alot longer for me to update, but there'll be a lot of it.

Also, Kudos if anyone figured out what the willowbark tea is known as in the present day and why it helped Duo without making him loopy. Willowbark tea makes acetic acid, also known as... aspirin! Hence the stomach ache that Duo got afterwards. But yeah, willowbark's been used for years till it was made in the friendly pill form we all know of today. :) I work in the Chem room after school, so I'm kinda a chem geek. You'll get used to it.

Also, updates may take a little longer because I'm making a webcomic with my buddy Angela/LarndeSolen. I'm writing and doing the Photoshop, she's drawing. I'll put the link up later. Anyhoo, enjoy!

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Jay's skin was like old leather, thick and dark nut brown. His hands were covered in calluses from years of working the range. He was one of the first men to settle in the area, the offspring of poor fishermen who'd saved enough to buy a horse and rode away from the coast to find his fate.

No one was exactly sure how he had managed to live out in the wilderness for so many years alone, but when more and more people began to settle, he was a welcome anchor. Every dip in the soil, every mountain and field, he knew the land like it was a part of him.

The years hadn't been kind to him. He'd lost an eye after a horse threw him into a pile of brush. One of his legs had healed wrong so he could only walk with the aid of a cane. Granted, it was nothing short of a miracle that he hadn't died yet, given the amount of yearlings he'd 'broken' to ride, but his injuries meant he couldn't ride the range anymore. The town had helped him sell his land and cattle and built him a house beside the general store. Everyone had thought that Jay would wither away in the new environment but he proved them all wrong.

In fact, the townsfolk hadn't prospered like they were in ages. Jay was the key to it all, the man who knew the answer to every question put in front of him. He knew which mare to breed to what stallion, where the best place to build a house was and where someone could find a blooming bearwort. From his perch on the general store porch, Jay was the stability the settlers longed for.

When Heero deducted that he needed supplies for fixing the fences, he decided to bring his idol something from the range, settling on a hunk of smoked venison. He'd packed the paper wrapped meat carefully into a saddlebag and eased Win down the muddy trail towards town.

Winter had just broken and the melting snow was filling the small streams. The ground had the consistency of soup but the abundance of water and sunlight encouraged a carpet of green up from the soil. It was the season for the crocus and even in the mountains, life was slipping upwards from the rocks.

It was also the season for work. The most important job in winter was making sure your stock stayed alive and when you weren't doing that, there was little else. But in spring the cows began to calve, the fences that had been broken by winter's crush were visible and all hell broke loose. Springtime was hard enough when two people were working the ranch, so Heero had no idea how he was going to manage on his own.

His hopes hinged on the fact that Jay would know.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

The sun had just risen to it's apex when Heero entered town. He made a sorry sight, both him and his horse covered in mud from their thighs down. Win's rider had been forced to dismount her in some areas and walk along side her so that she'd be able to get over the mud. She was a wonderful horse, sane and sound, but she wasn't the most sure footed of horses in bad terrain.

Despite her difficulties she had plugged on and gotten Heero to town, a fact that convinced Heero to pay a little bit more and get shoes put on her, which'd give her some more dig in the ground. He left her with the blacksmith, Win happily munching on a bale of hay while the smith began to file her hooves down.

The slats of wood, which made the boardwalk between porches, were filthy. Mud had stained everything and it was a good thing that none of the prima donnas who lived in the big cities lived out in the country or else they'd have died ages ago. Heero's boots were sturdy so the mud wasn't a problem for him.

Jay was on his rocking chair and he nodded a greeting to Heero. "Figured you'd be coming down here, once the ice broke."

The paper around the venison crackled, the only response. But the old man grinned toothily at the meat, wrapping it back up and placing it carefully into his coat pocket. He then sat back and looked at Heero expectantly.

"Sir, I was thinking it might be good if I sold off some of my land and some of the cattle. With Pa gone, I can't take care of everything." Heero said solemnly, the boards creaking a bit when he pulled a stool over. "Ah' was wondering if ye knew who was buyin' right now."

"Ye' should buy Clellan's meadow beside Snake River. Keaep all yer cattle and land, yer Pappy worked long and hard getting' those fer ye'." Jay said gruffly.

Heero sighed mentally. Was Jay going deaf? "I have too much to begin with sir, I can't keep an eye on the River meadow too. Besides, what would I pay Clellan with? Cattle prices ain't been good lately."

Jay's face light up and he leaned forward with a grin like a smug calico cat. "A feller' came into town a couple of days ago. Plans on tamin' the wild horses on Smith's land and he needs a place to keep 'em."

"Why doesn't Smith train 'em himself?" Heero asked dryly, then mentally swore to himself. He shouldn't have distracted the old man, he wanted to know mighty badly why Jay thought he should buy that land.

"Have you seen those 'stangs? They're wild as a wet cat and just as liable tae' bite ye'. Smith's got better things tae' do, the 'stangs are just wasting his grazing lands in his eyes. Nah, he's pleased as punch ta' get rid of 'em." Jay leaned back in his chair. "This new man, his herd'll be the right size to go inter yer' cattle's summer pasture. And as fer the money, he's willin' ta pay $40 to pay fer the board, and Clellan's sellin' fer $30."

"He'll only be a few months though, that ain't givin' me a lot of time with a second worker around."

Jay grinned around the wad of chewing tobacco in his mouth, "No, but it buys ye' time ta get yerself a wife. Besides, ye' need ta be around someone who yer own age. Yer Pappy did what he could to raise you by himself, but he jest couldn't do much fer lettin' ye be around other youngsters. This'll be a learnin' experience fer ye."

He did have a point. Pa'd needed him to be around the ranch so Heero'd never been to school, which was how all the other kids knew him. It was awkward and when Heero met other folks his age he felt like a calf who'd been raised by own of their mares.

The cow had rejected the baby and the mare's foal had died so Pa had rubbed the calf in the mares afterbirth. The mare'd happily raised the baby and neither of them had been the wiser till it was time for the calf to go back in with the cattle. All the horse rules the calf'd learned made him shunned by the other calves and he'd just sit on the outskirts of the herd and not know what to do with himself.

"What's the man like? Is the money good?" he asked hesitantly.

"Money's good. I 'spect he's a cavalry man and that's what's left of his pay. Doc's accepted it and he'd know if it were fake. Sides that, I like 'im. Name's Zechs and 'e's a good rider. Has a demon of a three year old gelding, but he handles it like it was a babe's pony. He's got a hell of a seat too." Jay spat out a thick wad of chewing tobacco into the spit bucket. "Won't be a job at'all to have to live with him, specially if you buy Clellan's meadow."

Heero scratched at the stubble on his jawline, noting to himself that he'd just shaved this morning and to sharpen his razor when he got home. First… "Why's Clellan selling the meadow? I remember Pa always wanted to buy it, but he never got the chance."

"'s great land, but it's too far out of the way 'fer him. Especially since he bought another field closer to his own homestead. I don't think he should sell it, it's too good. That's moose country and the bears're too scared ta come down there, they know bull moose 'kin kill 'em. Same with the cougars. Ain't lost a beast there since I kin remember."

"Ah'll finish shopping, then I'll tell you my answer. Need some time to think 'bout this." He waited till Jay nodded before moving the stool to the side and walking next door to the store.

He needed flour, grease, nails, a new hammer, a new whetstone to sharpen his tools and kerosene. And anything else that he saw and would need in the store. That ended up including a thick ream of wool cloth, a few needles, thread and a small bag of rock candy. Foster came into the store also and Heero managed to buy a bag of last years corn from him and paid for three more bags when the crop came in. Foster grew the best corn in this side of the Rockies, and his grain was always in demand.

The goods were finally bought and tightly wrapped in thick paper for their journey back up the mountain to the homestead. And Heero had made his decision. Jay showed no surprised, only told him where Zechs was staying and told him congratulations on his new meadow.

The bank in town may have been a meager small one but Doc still did well in owning it. His house was by far the nicest in town, with planks on the side versus rough hewn logs and was even painted a light green. Doc came from the East Coast however, so the farmers put up with his wasteful behavior.

He rapped his knuckles on the doorway and waited patiently till the woman of the house opened the door, her face plump and sweet. "Yes? You're the Yuy boy, right?"

He took off his hat respectfully while nodding, being painfully polite because this was a lady, "Yes'm. I'm here about yer' boarder."

"Oh, about Zechs! Well of course darling, come on in, just do take your spurs off won't you? Otherwise my floors'll be marked something dreadful." She chirped, ushering him in with the joy of someone who hasn't seen visitors in far too long. Heero was shooed into what was the receiving room, something he'd only heard his Pa talk about. Even if Ma had lived through smallpox their little cabin wouldn't have had been big enough for separate rooms, much less one to only receive company.

"Now you just have a seat and I'll have Zechs come on down. Make yourself at home dear, I'll only be a minute." She said happily, bustling out of the room. Heero, considering his dirty jeans, chose to sit in a stiff wooden chair rather than the plush cloth ones. Chairs like that cost more'n a man's soul out here, and he'd feel mighty bad if he was to dirty one.

The lady of the house was true to her word and in the shake of a lamb's tail she came back into the room with the prettiest man Heero'd ever seen.

He wanted to groan, to cry, to yell. He'd wanted a worker out of this man and instead he was goin' to get some city boy who'd gotten a hankering for the frontier life. The man had long blonde hair, for the love of Pete, hair that was finer than any woman in the area. His shoes were even shined. He probably wouldn't even survive the trail up to the homestead.

"Well Mr. Yuy, this is Zechs! I'm sure he's simply thrilled to get out of town and get to work on those lovely horses of his." Said the missus, "I'll leave you two to get aquainted and to work out the details and such. If you need me I'll be in the kitchen!" At that she flitted out, leaving behind an awkward silence.

The tall blonde man sat down slowly, his body uncomfortable. He motioned towards the kitchen, "She's a sweet woman. She knows quite well that I've got a gelding who's certainly not a 'lovely' horse. I'll be glad to get off of her hands though."

Heero nodded. Zechs was babbling and trying to break the silence. That was fine if he wanted to do that, but Heero frankly didn't know how to respond to that.

"My horse Goose is good with cattle. I'd be glad if you'd let me practice with him and my other horses with your herd. I'm grateful for just getting land to train my horses on though. Are we going to head up to your stead tonight?"

"Have ye' ever set your horse on cattle in timberline? It ain't like herdin' in the plains. Folks up here are liable to loose a limb if they ain't prepared." Heero said, eyes trained on the newcomer.

"I haven't had a chance to herd in timberline yet. Mind, when I do, I will be careful. I am no stranger to rough situations, good sir." Zechs replied, ice lancing from his tongue.

Heero was impressed. It was a rare few people who would even meet his eyes when he spoke like that, let alone snap back at him. Granted, he wasn't quite finished yet.

"A rough situation anywhere else is a good day on the mountains. If the cougars don't get you first, the grizzlies or the weather will get you after that. It ain't for anyone who don't know it."

Zechs met his challenge. "Then I guess I'll just have to get to learn about them. Now do you want my money or not?"

"Fine. But if you decide to go back to the city, I'm keeping the money." Heero held out his hand. "Deal?"

His hand was strong and firm and Heero got his first bit of respect for this man when his voice rang out with a determined, "Deal."

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Quatre worried Heero.

He was capable as hell. He rode damned well and he knew enough about cattle. He also knew the tribes in the area and could calm them down and allow the herd to pass undisturbed. But Quatre was an Indian.

Heero didn't have anything against Indians personally. Frankly, he could care less as long as his herd was left alone. The problem lay with Zechs.

Zechs'd kept his past to himself, especially about the military. Heero knew that Zechs had been in the cavalry, only a cavalry soldier would have the gear that the blonde had and only a cavalry steed like Goose could be owned by a soldier. Everything was plain but Zechs wouldn't say whether his guess was true or not. He simply wouldn't acknowledge the question.

Heero also knew what the cavalry did. They pushed the Indians off of their land so that the white settlers could put a stead there. And even though he thought that it was unjust and unfair, the 're settlement' efforts made it possible to replace people who'd harm and steal his herd with a family who wouldn't.

Quatre would obviously think quite differently.

Whole tribes, men, women and children, had been wiped out by the cavalry. They were constantly beaten down into submission and pushed out of their ancestral lands. The native people of America had been slammed into the dirt and they deserved to be resentful and mad and angry.

But not at Zechs. That was the man Heero was loyal to, and Quatre could go after the blonde all he wanted but Heero would defend him.

Their first two years on the mountain had been hell, fighting off the weather and predators till they were both run ragged. But Zechs had proven himself to be more than a pampered city boy. He'd struggled alongside Heero when the barn's roof was on the edge of collapse and they needed to replace an old repair on a support. The winter storm had raged through the cracks in the barn and the growing snow on the roof had threatened both of their safety, but together they'd fixed the cracked reinforement.

See, when Heero fell for something or someone, he fell completely. No matter what Zechs had done, Heero would be there beside him through hell or high water. And because Quatre would undoubtedly hurt Zechs if he knew, Heero would simply not let Quatre find out.

Zechs chose that moment to stir underneath the blankets and pull them towards him, causing the sheets to be pulled taut. Heero rolled over to ease the bedroll's tension and groaned. The small locks of hair on Zech's brow were dark with sweat and his face was pulled into a frown. The nightmares had come back.

He ran his hand across Zechs' forehead and watched as the creases on his forehead eased out. The light from the half moon spilled across his face and his pale hair seemed even more erethral in the quiet light. Zechs slid into a deeper sleep quickly, but Heero continued to stroke his face for a while longer.

Yes, he would protect this man and his secret. What Quatre knew would not hurt him. He kissed his cohort on his forehead before falling back to sleep himself.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Yep, I wrote another chapter. This is pretty much just fluff and my attempt to give Duo and Wufei the attention they deserve. But god, I wish wasn't so censored, otherwise this would be a lot more fun. ;)

* * *

"We are not stopping here."

"Yes, we are! The animals are all about to drop and if we don't stop, that storm will kill them all."

"Wufei, we've kept going through storms and ended up fine."

"Think back to those storms, Zechs! Was it ever this hot before those storms? No! That's a direct sign of how bad this storm will be."

"We still have miles to go, damnit, we don't have the time."

"We'll have to go far slower and loose more time if we loose half of our mounts to this storm." Wufei leapt down from the buckboard of his wagon and swiftly began to undo the buckles on Shenlong's harness. "I am staying here."

Zechs squeezed Ep's flanks and got in between Wufei and his team. "Like hell you are!"

Hand on Ep's reins, Wufei roughly forced the thoroughbred back. "I am. I already lost a team to a storm like this because the dumbass cattle boss wouldn't let us stop, and I sure as hell won't loose the best goddamned team I ever had!" Wufei narrowed his eyes, saying dangerously quietly, "If you don't stop, you will be signing the death sentence for Epyon. He isn't a range horse, and he will die if you don't let him stop and get some food into him. Do you want to kill a defenseless mount that has all of it's faith in you?"

The glare Wufei received was near to deadly, but Zechs dismounted, sure as shooting. He called the other hands over, though Wufei paid him little mind. Instead he continued to undo the harnesses on his mules, hands working with practiced ease, anger still burning away in his gut.

It didn't take him long before the harnesses were slipped off of the mules and feedsacks were slipped over their noses, filled with a handful of oats. This kept the mules complacent and more than willing to put up with the indignities of being hobbled. After currying both of them quickly to release some of their dried sweat, Wufei took out a few stakes and coils of rope from his wagon. As he began to fasten the rope onto some of the stakes, Duo ran up, holding out his hands. "I finished tacking down Cynthia, what do you need me to do?"

Wufei swiftly hammered a stake into the ground before throwing the attatched length of rope over the wagon. He ducked into the wagon and pulled out a sack of oats, along with a few bundles of rods and canvas. "Give each hand a handful of oats for each of their horses. Then you're done with that, get back here and hand out a tent for Trowa and Quatre, and another for Zechs and Wufei. Got it?"

Duo nodded and went to work, driven to urgency by the oncoming storm clouds. Driven by the very same need, Wufei continued his work. Using the stakes, he kept the ropes taut and firm as they held the wagon down, prepared for the bad weather.

Sweat drenched his shirt and hair and his hands shook with fatigue as he took a long drink of water from his canteen. The heat itself wasn't that bad, really. It was the cloying humidity that stuck to everything in sight which made everything near to unbearable. If the storm didn't break the humidity… Well, Wufei wasn't going to think about that.

Finally, Wufei was finished once he threw a large canvas tarp over his wagon. Tying the ends to the rings he had in his wagon especially for this purpose, he had made his wagon water tight. And he had good timing as well, the torrent of rain beginning as he finished his last tie.

And yet, his tent hadn't even been set up. So, hands slipping on the various wet rods of the once simple tent, he began an almost heroic attempt to get at least some form of protection over his head. However, despite his good attempts, he was grateful to see Duo grab the pole which was apt to collapse the whole tent. With another set of hands the tent was finally tamed and stood firmly.

Wufei slipped into the tent, closely followed by Duo. Struggling to take off his boots, he finally succumbed and let the brunette help to slip them off, running a hand over his sodden face. "I just talked back to my cattle boss. I can not believe I just talked back to my cattle boss."

"Zechs is nothing if not fair." One boot finally slipped off and Duo grinned at it triumphantly. "He wouldn't have given in if he didn't think you were right."

"Perhaps but I still should not have lost my temper like I did. Not to a person who controls whether or not I get paid." Wufei replied matter of factly.

The other boot finally came off and Duo gave him a wry grin, tossing the muddy shoe back at him. "Yer gonna get paid, Fei. Even if Zechs throws a fit, it ain't Zechs payin' you, it's Treize." Throwing his bedroll down ont the floor of the tent, he flopped down beside Wufei, limbs mush. "Even if this storm ain't as bad as you say, I'll be mighty glad for some rest." He threw his jacket down on the floor near his head and made a face, turning to his companion, "Mind if I use you like a pillow again?"

Wufei rolled his eyes, which was answer enough for his friend, who curled up next to him like a cat. "I swear Maxwell, it never fails to amaze me how you can be so comfortable with hanging all over people."

Duo murred, face resting quite contentedly on his chest, legs and arms thrown over the cook. "'Suppose it's just the way I grew up. Trowa and I always slept like this."

The cat metaphor proved to be a powerful comparison and he found himself running his fingers over Duo's hair. "You miss him."

"Yep." He sighed. "He was everything I had for a while. Brother, friend, first love, all of that important stuff. And I was everything to him too. I guess people just aren't meant to stay like that."

A hand pinched his ear, Wufei saying sternly, "Just because that's how it happened that one time for you doesn't mean it'll happen everytime."

Duo sat up and scowled at him, rubbing his poor earlobe. "Yep, but didya really have ta' pinch my ear to tell me?"

"You were acting like a woman."

Rolling his eyes, Duo flopped back onto Wufei, resting his chin on one of his shoulders. "And that's a bad thing?"

Wufei turned his head, giving him a look. "Of course. I don't like women."

"So you like men?" Duo brightened, laughing over the sound of rain hitting their tent. "That's good. You really do fit in with all of us on the drive then."

Blushing quite thoroughly, Wufei threw a hand over his face. "I-I didn't mean it like that necessarily-"

"Horse shit. Of course you did. Otherwise you'd be yellin' at me about how you aren't. That and you wouldn't let me hang all over you." Duo said bluntly.

"Well…" Wufei sighed, looking up to the roof of the tent, setting his jaw.

Duo, interest piqued, ran a hand over his chest and asked innocently, "You ever done anything?" Oooo, he liked the blush that question got.

"Of course not. It's not proper behavior."

"That's why you're so wound up!" Duo crowed in triumph, "You've never had sex, that's yer such a prude! Well, we can take of that, no problem."

Wufei watched with painfully wide eyes as Duo straddled his thighs, swallowing in fear as the Texan leaned down. With his elbows down by either side of Wufei's head, Duo said far too impishly, "Whaddya say, pardner?"

Wufei's fingers snarled in the hair at the nape of his neck and pulled him down for a damned good kiss by a first timer. Granted, he had no idea what to do with his tongue, but he'd learn quick if Duo had anything to say about it.

And to add to the awesomeness, Wufei had already pulled Duo's shirt up from his pants, hands sliding underneath the fabric to run calloused fingers over the lines of the hand's back. In return, Duo coaxed Fei's tongue out of hiding, giving it a slow suck and eliciting the cutest darned whimper he'd ever heard.

Wufei broke the kiss, lips tracing down the tendons of Duo's neck instead. The cowhand let out a groan, asking breathily, "Where the hell did you learn how to do that?"

"During the winter, there isn't much else to do but read, and all I had to read were dime store novels last winter."

"You learned to do this from dime store novels?"

"Yes."

"Damn, you're a genius."

* * *

The temperature had dropped by twenty degrees by the end of the day, hail stones the size of baby crabapples laying around the grass. Duo crawled out of the tent, rosy cheeked and quite content, and let out a low whistle. "Damn, Wufei. You were right, that was one hell of a storm."

Smoothing back his hair, Wufei slipped out of the tent. "I've been working in this area for a while now, I know my storms." Sneaking a look around, he laid an open kiss on the crook of Duo's neck. "I enjoyed that."

His smile sunbright, Duo leaned back against him. "Yeah. Me too."


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Yep, that's right. Two chapters in a week. I'm pretty astonished with myself too. Basically I'd written the first part of Chapter 7., decided I didn't like how it was going, then started on this chapter, intending for it to be #7. Then I looked back at the old #7 and realized that it wasn't too bad. So I finished it up no prob, got in the mood, and finished this one up as well.

"You ready, kid?"

Duo didn't bother to turn his head. "I think so. "

A grizzled, wire tough man clucked his horse forward to the top of the bluff, sliding off when he reached the twelve year old. He gingerly sat down, joints making a groaning noise. "If this Wild West show doesn't work out, you can always come back here. You've always got a home."

After wiping his wet cheeks on his sleeves, Duo turned his head to look Howard in the eye. "Are you sure I can go? You've done everything for me, I want to make sure that you can afford to let me go do this. You've done so much, I have to pay you back-"

"Kid, I'll be fine. The ranch'll be fine. And you've done more for me than I could have ever dreamed of." The old hand took out his pipe, carefully lighting the tobacco inside and taking a deep drag. "When the Maxwell missionary burned down, I know that it was a catastrophe for ya'. But fer me? It gave me a chance to have you around. And I'm thankful fer that. So just go and do what you want to, because you deserve it."

"I wish I was born as your son, Howard."

"Don't matter, Duo. Yer already my kid." He stood slowly, tousling Duo's thick brown hair. "Now take Cynthia and find your place in the world, kid."

* * *

The bonfire was raging, the men were drunk, and even Trowa was a bit tipsy. Jorge stood unsteadily and shushed the group, yelling at them for order. "You damned puntas, listen for a second, will ya?!" A few of the men muttered obstinately but they all eventually quieted down.

Jorge continued, raising his flask of home made wine. "Now, we all know that our escuincle(1) is moving on in the world." He waited for the cheers to die down before continuing. "Trowa's going to that Wild West show, and I just want to say that we'll miss him. He's been one of our finest banditos, and I'll be damned if we won't miss him. Mestizo or not, he's been just as dedicated to the cause of liberating Mexico from the gringos!" He again waited for the cheers to die down before slipping the holster off of his own chest and handing it to Trowa. "Find your place in the world, kid."

* * *

Fort Kearney buzzed with movement like some oversized hornet's nest. The cavalry men which held the American West into a civilized land were based here, as were their countless horses and families. A whole society had been formed around this heavily armed policing force, and their home had become the Shangri La for local merchants to sell their wares. After all, where else was there to go?

And for the countless cattle herds that passed by, the fort had become the place to go to for information and fresh food and provisions. It was for this reason, combined with a mighty thorough weariness that Zechs decided to rest the cattle and hands for a day and let his cook head up to the fort.

Wufei had been up early that morning, lightening the wagon's load. Not only did he need more room for the surplus goods, but his mules could use the easier day of work. And as he worked, he didn't fail to notice that the only other person up and awake was Quatre. And in need of a companion, he invited Quatre to join him, all the while wondering about his early waking.

He neglected to bring up the topic till they reached the fort and the general store. After all, tensions around camp would surely only rise further if he was seen talking with Trowa's beau, and during the trip to the fort, Quatre slipped in and out of cat naps, never seeming to wake up any more relaxed.

The rumble of the crowd of people roused the blonde, who sat up groggily from the wagon. His voice thick with sleep, he asked, "We're here?"

"We're here." Wufei pulled his team towards the general store, sliding off the buckboard and attaching their halters to the hitching post. "Going to come in with me?"

"What else am I to do? Besides, standing outside here in my buckskins doesn't seem to be the smartest thing to do." Quatre gave him a wry smile. "Not among soldiers."

Wufei nodded, motioning for Quatre to follow as he entered the dusty shop. Crammed with goods, the store held everything necessary for life on the frontier. Sturdy calico fabrics hung to one side, precious needles and thread beside them. Barrels of salt pork kept well no matter the conditions so when game was scarce, salt pork was easy protein. Hundreds of wagon parts and farming equipment took up a good deal of the store which made a great deal of sense since if your wagon was broken, you could go nowhere.

"Alright. Quatre, look through the supplies and see if an axel lip made out of ash timber." Wufei commanded as he went to the flour, carefully weighing out the necessary amount. Flour was vital for a drive. Not only was it a decent source of vitamin C, but eggs and other delicate foodstuffs could be packed inside flour and never be damaged. The only downside to flour was its price, so Wufei made sure to measure out only what he needed.

Quatre returned with the needed axel lip and was soon loaded down with the bag of flour, along with a bag of sugar. However, there was still a lot more to hold and he followed Wufei diligently as the cook went through the store's inventory. "You slept quite a bit on the way here."

Quatre nodded, eyeing some pelts hung up on the far wall. "I've been having some… interesting dreams lately." In went bullets and gunpowder, lard and dried fruit and the ever present whiskey.

"Dreams?" Wufei's voice betrayed a hint of doubt.

"I see Zechs walking across a field in a cavalry uniform. He's crying, and with every step everything behind him withers up and dies." Scrap fabric was bought for bandages and lye soap which burned the skin but worked.

A bottle of iodine was added for an antiseptic and a small bag of rock candy was added to ensure mental sanity for the cow hands. "That's a disturbing dream, but why loose sleep over it?"

Quatre shifted the weight of the goods around a little, nibbling on his lower lip. "I don't know. It almost feels like prophecy, but I don't know why the spirits put Zechs into my dream. His presence just doesn't make any sense."

Wufei eyed him incredulously. "You think that it's an omen?"

"Of course. The spirits have talked to me all my life, there's no reason for them to stop now."

Shaking his head, the cook examined a rasp for his knife. "I wouldn't hold that much regard for a dream, Quatre. Dreams are just mush that you come up with when you're not fully there. I dreamt that Shenlong could talk like my grandmother, does that mean that I saw the future?"

Pursing his lips, Quatre shook his head. "Just… stop. I respect you, and I'd like to not have you say something that would ruin that."

Wufei shook his head, yet took his goods to the front counter. The owner of the store began to add up their bill, asking offhandedly. "Heard about the latest skirmish with the soldiers?"

Quatre tensed beside him but thankfully kept his mouth shut. "No, what happened?" Wufei asked, face carefully set into a poker face.

"Those bastard Pawnee raided the fort's cattle herd and the Generals had enough, I 'spose. The regiment attacked and wiped the bastards out." The store keeper grinned wide. "Just like a bunch of rats."

And just like that, Quatre's world crashed to pieces. He turned and flew out of that damnable store, going to the wagon and grabbing for that rifle, fully intending to blow off every soldier's goddamned head and make their families feel what he people were feeling-

"Quatre, no. You can't do this."

He whipped around to face Wufei, who'd slammed the rifle down onto the bottom of the wagon. "Like hell I can't! You heard that man, they killed my people without a second damned thought! What was it he said? Like rats?!"

"It's deplorable. I won't disagree with you on that. But all you'll be doing is getting yourself killed, and give them another damned excuse to kill Indians!"

Eyes wild like a cornered cat, Quatre leaned in, getting into Wufei's space with face stained with pure, unadulterated fury. "You traitor to your race, I would have expected at least you to understand what a scourge the white man is! The white man will never accept you, no matter how white you act, to them you're always a god damned disgusting chink. Yet you still try and act like a white man to fit in and you forget about your ethics such as, oh what is it that you talk about?" Quatre sneered at him. "Oh yes. Justice. Funny how you forget about that so easy, ain't it?"

Fury ripped through Wufei and the backhand he landed on Quatre's cheek sent him sprawling. Straddling the near crazed man, Wufei grabbed the front of his shirt and released his own fury. "Don't you dare talk to me about justice! You don't know a damned thing about me and what my family has gone through-"

"So why are you defending them Wufei? Fear?" Quatre sneered.

Leaning forward, Wufei unleashed a near to terrifying glare. "I'm defending them because not every white man is evil. Have you ever heard of the Frank Slide? No, you wouldn't. My family was caught underneath millions of tons of rock when a mining accident set off a landslide of half of the damn mountain which came right down onto the town of Frank, which was where my entire damned clan was sleeping.

I was working in the mines and I was the only worker small enough to slip through the rocks blocking the mine entrance and I ran and ran and ran to stop the 4:00 am train that was about to slam into the landslide. I finally stopped the train and guess who the train was carrying? Four cavalry divisions, all heading out west. And even though they were all half asleep, they saddled up their horses and went to the town of Frank, even though it was a town of mostly chinks.

They worked for four days without stop, pulling rock off of people and saving those they could, even though it technically wasn't their job. And they took care of me, bandaged my raw feet and fed me and put me to sleep in one of their own cots. They were white Cavalrymen but they saved my life and they fought like hell to save everyone else's. They were good men, and you've got some damned nerve to insult every soldier because of the acts of a few."(2)

Quatre went still and for a moment, Wufei feared that his friend had fainted. Till he threw his hands up over his eyes, saying in a choked voice, "Oh god. What did I almost do?"

Wufei stood, helping him stand. "You almost made a mistake. Get in the wagon, I'll load everything and then we can go back to camp. I don't want to stay in this fort any longer than you."

The ride back to camp was a solemn one, Quatre seeming damned determined to not fall apart. Though once they came in view of the camp, Quatre nearly flew to Trowa. Burying his face in his beau's shirt, he released his fury into sorrow, clinging to him like a drowning man. Trowa wisely carried the blonde to a more secluded, private place, leaving Wufei to face the questioning look on everyone else's faces.

He pulled the wagon to a stop and slid off, saying bluntly, "We found out about a massacre that the Cavalry did to the Pawnee. They killed everyone in the tribe apparently, down to the women and children."

Duo, after seeing Heero herding off a disturbed looking Zechs, walked over close to Wufei, nearly pinning him to the side of the wagon. "You okay?" He asked, normally playful voice absolutely serious.

"No. I'm not. What kind of people kill women and children, Duo? I know that there are good military men out there, like the ones with the slide, but there aren't anywhere near enough." He scowled, a dangerous look. Finally, he took a deep breath, draping an arm around the hand's waist. "They killed women. What kind of men do that?"

Duo gave him a lopsided smile, shrugging. "Easy. Men don't. Bastard sons of bitches do." He leaned in for a quick, almost shy peck. "Is there a reason that Quatre's got a big red mark on his cheek?"

"He was hysterical. I couldn't think of anything else." Wufei knotted his fingers into Duo's hair and pulled him forward for an honest kiss.

Once Wufei'd decided that he needed air, Duo finally responded, a bit sheepish. "Is it a little selfish that I'm kind of glad that you smacked him?"

"Yes. But right now I need to unpack the wagon. Especially since I don't want the almond oil to spill. I heard it's good at making things… slide a little easier."

Hm. Duo was quite fast at unpacking the wagon with that kind of reward in mind.

* * *

Dinner was quiet. Everyone seemed to be intent on just shoveling their food in and getting away from the awkward tension that had fallen on them, with the exception of Quatre who had refused to say a word, opting to instead lean against Trowa with a wan expression. Duo attempted to make small talk, but everyone's mind was elsewhere. That is, till Quatre saw Zechs' knife.

After sitting up like a shot, Quatre reached over and snapped Zech's dagger up, scanning the hilt carefully. "You bastard." He hissed, throwing the knife down at his feet. "Your saddle, your horse, the way you hold your gun, it's all standard Cavalry! You were a cavalry soldier, though knowing you, you were probably high up. Hell, you probably ordered soldiers to kill my people!"

Zechs' face fell, hands trembling. He opened his mouth, yet the normally articulate man couldn't say a word. Not when faced by Quatre.

"You can't even say a damned word? Answer me, god damnit, you owe that much at least!" Quatre reached down and grabbed the cavalry dagger from the ground, "Say something, you son of a bitch!"

Heero shoved in between the two, hand an iron grip on Quatre's wrist. "Hurt him and you won't live to see another day. He may have been a cavalryman, but he left that life. He's never treated you bad and he was just was disgusted by what the army did. Don't you **dare** put the blame on him."

Fury ran through Quatre in waves, his entire body trembling. He locked eyes with Heero and the two glared, not unlike a pair of dogs snarling at each other for dominance. Quatre broke first, throwing the dagger down and turning to Trowa. "There's another Pawnee tribe who spends their summers just north of here. I'm going to go stay with them. Are you coming?" Trowa nodded and stood, following his lover.

Duo flew off of the ground, grabbing Trowa's arm with something closely akin to pure abject terror. "You can't leave! You can't leave me! You swore, you rotten son of a bitch, you swore that we'd be around for each other no matter what, you can't just back out on stuff like that! I know we ain't been gettin' along well lately but you can't-"

With a deep sigh, Trowa pried Duo off his arm, grabbing him by the shoulders and looking him in the eye. "Duo. We made that promise when we were 10 years old. We've both grown up, it's time to go our separate ways."

"No! No, you can't leave me, you can't be like everyone else…" Wufei came up from behind and wrapped his arms around Duo, who sank into the embrace like all his fire had been extinguished in one fell swoop. He looked up at Trowa, eyes pleading for something, anything. "Please. Don't go."

Trowa and Quatre were gone by morning.

* * *

"Ah'm trying to tell myself that we're better off with 'em, but Ah just can't get my head around it. He's gone." Duo said, eyes focused on the tips of Diablo's ears. "Ah don't understand."

Heero pursed his lips, voice strained. "Duo, shut up about him. I can't deal with this crap right now, all right? Let's just get these calves back to camp and you can talk to Wufei or Zechs all you want."

"Yeah, s-sure." Shoulders slumped, Duo snared his fingers in his pony's mane, just trying to stay viable, alive.

Because the memories just wouldn't stop.

* * *

_He'd been dusty and disgusting when he finally got to the winter ranch, and the tall boy who'd show him to the bathtub was the best thing he'd seen in weeks. Taking off his filthy hat, Duo held his hand out. "Name's Duo."_

_Long fingers clasped around his hand, his new friend's eyes impassive. "Trowa."_

* * *

"_-so then the skunk just let him have it! Poor dumb dog didn't have a chance, he just ran off yelping like the flames of Hell were lickin' at his paws." Duo said, ribs hurting from laughing too hard. _

_And the best part was, he wasn't the only one laughing._

* * *

_They fell into the hay and clasped each other with a new found urgency, every span of skin their fingertips traced singing to life. Their lips a raw heat against each other, the friction of their hips rubbing together something new and absolutely terrifying. _

_Duo broke the kiss for air and as he panted for breath, he whispered into Trowa's ear, "I love you."_

"_I love you too, Duo."_

* * *

Wufei's things were strewn around the campsite, wagon ransacked. And that was wrong, that was absolutely fucking WRONG because Wufei was nothing if not absolutely anal retentive on keeping that wagon spotlessly organized and Heero knew that too. Because it wasn't just the wagon in ruins, their entire camp was destroyed.

Finally Duo saw him, Wufei laying on the ground like a broken doll. Flying off of Diablo, he laid a smack on the cook's cheek, demanding as he awoke, "What happened? What the hell happened, where's Zechs?"

Wufei stared up at Duo, eyes hazy, "They – they took him-"

Heero froze then bolted to Wufei's side, grabbing his shirt and shaking him urgently, "Who?! Who took him? Who fucking stole Zechs?"

"Heero, god damnit, give him a minute to wake up, the back of his head is all bloody-"

"The Pawnee tribe Quatre found stole Zechs." Duo and Heero both snapped up as a man came out from the woods, myriad of pistols strapped to his chest over a thick poncho. He removed his wide brimmed hat, hair tawny in the twilight. "They're going to kill him and I disagree with Quatre about this. We are going to go save him, because I will not allow him to kill an innocent man." Trowa threw down Zechs' cavalry knife covered in dried blood before Heero's feet. "This ends tonight."

* * *

1. That was spanish for bastard.

2. This landslide actually happened, except it was up in Canada and the town wasn't Asian. Basically, about a mile away from my aunt's house, 800 tons of rock from Turtle Mountain, which was already absolutely unstable, fell on a town of 250. About 80 people survived, and that was because they were on the west side of town. About 3 people actually survived from being under the rocks. And a teenage boy did make a desperate run to go stop the train due to go through Frank, as the train would have slammed into rock otherwise and kill everyone onboard. However, the train didn't have the cavalry on it either.

I though Frankslide would work pretty decently though as a substitute for Wufei's clan dying in the destruction of L5. Besides, it's an incredible sight. You can drive right through it all, and there's rock for about 3 miles away from the mountain. How anyone survived it is way beyond me.


End file.
